Saving the Life of a Hypalon Dinghy

[nixontankgirl]

My poor old ding-a-ling has had a very tough life over the last 15 years. Unfortunately now much of the 'grey' outside of the hypalon has come off where I sit, and where it has spent 1000's of miles tied upside down on the for deck, etc. ;=(
I have put patches on with little success and was considering some of the hypalon paint but many people seem to think it is rubbish.
2 weeks ago I had an absolute disaster. I sat on the tube which then instantly deflated, I must point out that I only weigh 130lbs soaking wet!. There where 2 large rips about an inch and a half long. Being in a remote place I had little option but to use what I had on board. I coated the entire area with sikaflex, put the last few patches I had over the holes then covered the entire area with more sikaflex and lots of Sunbrella.
I think the dinghy has about reached the end of its life so anything I can do now to extend it would be great. Has anyone had any experience or success with prolonging a dinghys life? I am seriously thinking of buying a tube of sikaflex and a meter of Sunbrella and 'laminating' all the stuffed areas and just hoping for the best. Any suggestions or ideas would be good. Or even if you know where I can buy a brand new AB 10AL for $20.......

[delmarrey]

My old Boston Whaler inflatable is about 30 YO but spends a lot of time in storage. Last year had one of the main seams loosen up enough to leak. So glued it back but still loses air. Bout time to retire it I guess.

I've been looking at the new inflatable Kayaks. Easier to store and less weight to handle. I ran across a guy in Bellingham that just deflates his when ashore and pulls it around on a suitcase cart while he's shopping.

Not a bad idea!

[Bash]

The rule that a boat has to be reliable applies to dinks as much as to motherships. When the fabric is so rotten that merely sitting upon it produces rips, it's time to retire the boat.

Something to think about: you repaired the boat with Sikaflex because it was all you had aboard. That's just wrong. If you're going run inflatable boats, you need to keep proper repair materials on hand. This is doubly true for older boats.

Hypalon paint is not "rubbish," contrary to what you're being told. River rafting companies have been using it for decades to extend the lives of their boats. However, you have to use it before the fabric rots. It sounds as if you've waited a bit too long to resort to hypalon paint.

[nixontankgirl]

Originally Posted by Bash

The rule that a boat has to be reliable applies to dinks as much as to motherships. When the fabric is so rotten that merely sitting upon it produces rips, it's time to retire the boat.

Something to think about: you repaired the boat with Sikaflex because it was all you had aboard. That's just wrong. If you're going run inflatable boats, you need to keep proper repair materials on hand. This is doubly true for older boats.

Hypalon paint is not "rubbish," contrary to what you're being told. River rafting companies have been using it for decades to extend the lives of their boats. However, you have to use it before the fabric rots. It sounds as if you've waited a bit too long to resort to hypalon paint.

Re the hypalon paint, all my info came from previous posts. It was a little unclear if they were criticizing it because of its cosmetic looks or because it simply didn't stretch the life of the dinghy. I was looking for a bit of clarity.

I did have Hypalon patches on board and used those but my adhesive was past its sell by date, I have used sikaflex as a patch adhesive 4 years ago and those patches are still holding on.

I have definitely waited too long to replace the dinghy, that was not the point of my post, but I have had to prioritize my purchases and considered a new inboard and main sail came before a dinghy. As I said I wont have sufficient funds to consider replacing the dinghy until next year. But your post was mainly a criticism as opposed to any actual constructive advise which is what I was looking for.
I am sure that someone somewhere will of solved a similar issue. For example I was thinking of buying an old hypalon life raft and cutting it up and sticking it over the existing tubes.
I have been told that you can fiberglass over hyperlon also, but have no experience of that.
I have met someone who filled a 'dead' dinghy with expanding foam.
That is the kind of suggestions I am looking for, from people that have tried and failed or even better tried and succeeded.
My dinghy is a RIB so the integrity of the hull is not in question, as an experiment I have driven it with all the tubes deflated so I am sure it wont sink, it will just be very difficult to use and will mean that I will have buy an old grotty dinghy to use for a few months which is of course an option.

I am looking for solutions from sailors who have a lot of ingenuity.

[nixontankgirl]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

My old Boston Whaler inflatable is about 30 YO but spends a lot of time in storage. Last year had one of the main seams loosen up enough to leak. So glued it back but still loses air. Bout time to retire it I guess.

I've been looking at the new inflatable Kayaks. Easier to store and less weight to handle. I ran across a guy in Bellingham that just deflates his when ashore and pulls it around on a suitcase cart while he's shopping.

Not a bad idea!

I did actually think about getting a kayak for a while but for my use its a bit impractical...... I am thinking that I may have to get a second hand aluminum dinghy, they are availabe for a few hundred dollars) but I think if you are in the water it is next to impossible to get in to the dinghy. My worst nightmare is that my dinghy totally fails in the next couple of months and that I may be forced to buy someones nightmare.
New PVC dinghys are less than half the price of a hypalon equivalent but I really dont think they stand up to life in the tropics...... I am hoping someone is going to share a brain wave.....hahahaha

[MarkSF]

I put the Hypalon paint on 6 months ago. I think it might prolong the life a bit, it's good for filling small leaks and also for covering over worn areas.

But it looks awful. Just hideous. Of course it looks great when you put it on, but it's a matt finish and picks up every scuff, bit of dirt, and in areas where it got pulled along on the dock it comes off completely exposing the (red) Hypalon.

So after 2 uses of the dinghy it's grey, dirt, black, and red.

So waste of money, yes I would say so. I spent $150 making a scruffy dinghy look scruffier.

[downunder]

Read an article where someone had new tubes put on their RIB in NZ.
Depending on where you are that might be a option.

[nixontankgirl]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

I put the Hypalon paint on 6 months ago. I think it might prolong the life a bit, it's good for filling small leaks and also for covering over worn areas.

But it looks awful. Just hideous. Of course it looks great when you put it on, but it's a matt finish and picks up every scuff, bit of dirt, and in areas where it got pulled along on the dock it comes off completely exposing the (red) Hypalon.

So after 2 uses of the dinghy it's grey, dirt, black, and red.

So waste of money, yes I would say so. I spent $150 making a scruffy dinghy look scruffier.

I would be perfectly happy to make my dinghy look as good as scruffy hahaha. All I am looking for is to be able to actually sit on it for a while..... I remember fondly sitting on the tubes......
I actually think you are correct about the paint, I have read very similar stories. Not only that but the shipping to Fiji is probably going to run to another $100 and for $300 I could probably buy 'something' to get me through for the next few months....what can I say? Times are hard at the moment and I would be very happy if I could just patch the old girl up and put the $300 towards a new dinghy next year. I think my poor ole' ding-a-ling is probably a bit far gone for the paint now and that something more drastic is called for...I am just not sure what....

[nixontankgirl]

I just thought;

A dinghy that goes down on you, who can complain about that?
Maybe I should change its name from 'thunder wheels' to 'Rachael the inflatable'.....

[nixontankgirl]

Originally Posted by downunder

Read an article where someone had new tubes put on their RIB in NZ.
Depending on where you are that might be a option.

I actually thought about that......its a good idea. But seemed to be only slightly less than a new dinghy. My current Caribe has a GRP hull and is actually really heavy. I have a dream of an AB RIB with the alloy hull....mmmmmm...so nice and light. If I can scratch NZ$5000 together by next year that's definitely what I will be hoping to buy. Until then maybe I will be paddling around in an inner tube.......

[downunder]

Originally Posted by nixontankgirl

I have a dream of an AB RIB with the alloy hull....mmmmmm...so nice and light. If I can scratch NZ$5000 together by next year that's definitely what I will be hoping to buy. .......

Definitely way to go. Haven't priced in NZ but would have thought could get one for less than that unless a NIAD which are choice of Queensland Charter vessels. They have an inner tube and outer sun cover and last for donkeys years in Qld sun.

[PEACETIME]

I had a similar problem with my old dingy holding air. I am not sure if it would work on a dingy with tube fabric as bad as yours sounds to be. Here goes anyway, I cut the back of the tubes open at the top half, then I rolled a sheet of very thin plastic up (anything thin would work) and put into the tube chamber. I then cut "cookies" out of foam and installed them inside the rolled up plastic. I bought the sheets of foam at a local hardware store, 4ft. x 8ft. x 2in. cost $11 US. After the tube was filled I reattached the end and sealed with duct tape and rubber paint.
Won't win any shows but also can't sink !!! My temp repair is now 4 years old and counting. I repaint the tubes with a rubber paint used for metal roofs every year.

Good Luck

[nixontankgirl]

Originally Posted by downunder

Definitely way to go. Haven't priced in NZ but would have thought could get one for less than that unless a NIAD which are choice of Queensland Charter vessels. They have an inner tube and outer sun cover and last for donkeys years in Qld sun.

The price I was given for the AB was from the only importer into NZ. It wasn't the best news I have had....
I will google the NIADs as I am not familiar with them..... Cheers for that.

[downunder]

SOUTHERN PACIFIC INFLATABLE PRODUCTS

Just one of manufacturers.

[nixontankgirl]

Originally Posted by PEACETIME

I had a similar problem with my old dingy holding air. I am not sure if it would work on a dingy with tube fabric as bad as yours sounds to be. Here goes anyway, I cut the back of the tubes open at the top half, then I rolled a sheet of very thin plastic up (anything thin would work) and put into the tube chamber. I then cut "cookies" out of foam and installed them inside the rolled up plastic. I bought the sheets of foam at a local hardware store, 4ft. x 8ft. x 2in. cost $11 US. After the tube was filled I reattached the end and sealed with duct tape and rubber paint.
Won't win any shows but also can't sink !!! My temp repair is now 4 years old and counting. I repaint the tubes with a rubber paint used for metal roofs every year.

Good Luck

Brilliant!

I wondered about gluing 'something' over the tubes and sticking a truck inner tube inside and blowing it up.....but thought it wouldn't take the shape very well.....but your idea is excellent. The rubber paint is also a good idea. Dont they use some type of rubber paint for swimming pools? Maybe that would work, but I am not sure if it would adhere to hypalon....definitely worth considering though.